South Tucson and Tucson firefighters fight a house fire in the 100 block of East 31st Street on Friday afternoon. Damage was estimated at $50,000.
Five people have been displaced after a small residence on the South Side caught fire shortly before noon Friday.
South Tucson and Tucson firefighters responded to the blaze near South Sixth Avenue and 31st Street, Tucson fire Capt. Tricia Tracy said.
An estimated $50,000 worth of damage was done to the 500-square-foot home, she said.
The home’s two residents were not home at the time and Tracy said the American Red Cross will provide them with temporary living arrangements.
Three other people also will be looking for a place to stay because the power had to be turned off to two nearby residences that shared utilities with the house that caught fire, Tracy said.
She said high winds made controlling the blaze difficult, and said homeowners should keep a defensible area clear of weeds and other growth around residences.
Wind gusts in the city reached more than 30 mph Friday, according to the National Weather Service.
Eight units from Tucson Fire and one unit from South Tucson Fire responded to the blaze.